BesT Trips 2. CAMP ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND There is only one place on Earth where you can sleep among wild horses, retreat to secluded white beaches, and explore the skeletal remains of a once-grand mansion. The Cumberland Island National Seashore , the southernmost and largest barrier island on the Georgia coast, is just that place. Home to nearly 10,000 acres of Congressionally designated wilderness and historic sites ranging from a one-room church to early 20th-century mansions, Cumberland Island is one of the country’s most intriguing national seashores. Although you can get a taste of the island’s magic on a day trip, the best way to truly immerse yourself in the island’s beauty is on a multiday camping trip. Being among the 300 visitors permitted on Cumberland Island daily is a treasured experience requiring some planning. That includes making reservations up to six months in advance for campsites and the ferry that leaves from St. Marys . As Cumberland Island remains mostly undeveloped, there is no store on the island and no camp host, so plan to pack in and pack out, including all your trash. Choose your campground from the island’s five options, which range in amenities from beginner-friendly to primitive, according to your skills and appetite for adventure. Sea Camp is great for families and novice campers, offering amenities like bathrooms with electrical outlets, showers, and access to a boardwalk through the dunes that leads to a truly secluded, pristine beach. Stafford Beach Campground , located a short 3.5-mile hike from the ferry dock, has 10 well-spaced-out sites sharing a bathhouse with electrical outlets, plumbing, and cold showers. Or, choose to go off the beaten path and set up camp at one of three remote campgrounds located in the island’s designated wilderness: Hickory Hill , 5.5 miles from the ferry dock; Yankee Paradise , 7.5 miles from the ferry dock; or Brickhill Bluff , the island’s northernmost wilderness campground located 10.5 miles from the ferry. PHOTO CREDITS CUMBERLAND ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE, ST MARYS/DAMIAN DELGADO Once on the island, more than 50 miles of trails and roads wait to be explored. Walk or bike in any direction, and you’ll uncover natural wonders, from salt marshes full of fiddler crabs to a vast maritime forest that serves as a migration stopover for more than 300 bird species. Plan to stop at Dungeness Ruins for a picturesque scene of wild horses against the backdrop of the Carnegie family’s Queen Anne-style estate. To cover more ground, join the Lands and Legacies Tour , a guided tour shuttling visitors to some of Cumberland Island’s cultural and natural landmarks, including properties like Plum Orchard Mansion and First African Baptist Church , which was built in 1893 by the area’s Black residents and families – many of them formerly enslaved. Round out your stay marveling at the nearly 18 miles of white, sandy beaches where you can find tons of seashells and, if you search hard enough, fossilized shark teeth. If your visit is during sea turtle nesting season, you might even spot a few hatching turtles at night. EXPLOREGEORGIA.ORG 13
Official State Travel Guide 2025 Georgia Official State Travel Guide: Page 13
